HELP STOP ANIMAL ABUSE BY RAISING AWARENESS

INTRODUCTION

You can help stop animal abuse by raising awareness of it. The more compassionate people who know about it, the more people who will want to help stop it.

Sometimes people who you didn’t think were particularly compassionate will pleasantly surprise you!

You raise awareness in ways including using the web, giving out leaflets and flyers, putting up posters, using your voice, displaying messages on your clothing / other accessories, doing school or college projects or through protests and demonstrations.

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On social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, My Space, etc, you can spread awareness of animal abuse by posting links to website pages about animal cruelty. This is much more effective if you write a small amount of information about the cruelty you are posting the link about, especially if it is something that will make them want to click on the link to find out more.

If people read your post, it may make them feel like they want to do something to help stop animal abuse. It is therefore good to also include links to webpages about how they can help stop animal cruelty.

You are welcome to use any pages on this website.

Petitions to stop animal abuse are also good to post on social networking website pages, along with an explanation of what they are about. See theCampaigns and Petitions page for advice on which petitions are most effective so your time is not wasted. There are also instructions on that page on how to automatically fill in petitions, avoiding having to enter your details each time. Posting a link to that, along with an explanation, may encourage people to sign more petitions, as it becomes so easy.

All these things are also good to do if you wanted to create a blog or glog (graphic blog) to raise awareness and encourage people to help stop animal abuse.

If you see evidence of animal cruelty on the web that you want to report, find the best way to report it, so it is investigated, here.

To encourage people to help stop animal abuse, distribute material which helps raise awareness of animal cruelty and suffering. Posters, flyers and informative leaflets are available from many major animal charities, usually for free.

You could set up an information stall, display the posters on it and give out the leaflets, flyers and posters to members of the public on the street.

You could even give out samples of vegan “cruelty free food & drinks” that you have made from your information stall to show people how delicious it can be as an alternative to food funding the cruel meat and dairy industries.

I have even seen these combined with a small tombola, but you would need to check if a license is required for accepting money.

Posters could be displayed on public or community notice boards, in work places, in your parked car windows. You could also leave leaflets in your work place, doctors surgery and other waiting rooms. This can be done with animal charity newsletters and magazines too.

You will soon be able to download free posters and flyers from this website. Please distribute them as widely as you can.

Below:Example of a poster or flyer to display or distribute to raise animal abuse awareness. This one exposes the most well known brands and companies responsible for continuing incredibly cruel animal experimentation, and how to be a compassionate, cruelty free shopper.

Awareness of animal cruelty can be raised if people display messages on them that are against animal cruelty. This could be such things as clothing, accessories, car stickers, or pet clothing/accessories. Some people even go as far as having a tattoo against animal abuse.

The message you are displaying may prompt people to ask about it and you can expand on the message, giving them the full story. Once they hear the true horror, it may motivate them to help stop animal abuse themselves.

Many major animal charities sell these kind of items. Not only are you donating money to the charity when you buy these products, but you are raising awareness whenever you go anywhere displaying them.

Below: Examples of accessories with anti-cruelty messages. On the picture on the left is a bag stating “No Excuse For Animal Abuse”. The picture on the right shows a silver ‘Stop Animal Abuse’ necklace with a pendant in the shape of an animal abuse awareness ribbon, with paw prints on it.

Raise awareness of animal abuse by doing a project on animal cruelty at school or college. You could choose to base your project on one aspect of animal cruelty, or many aspects of it, depending on how big your project is.

If it is a presentation that you have to present to the class, look at it as a fantastic opportunity to spread awareness of animals’ desperate plight.

Maybe you could persuade your teacher to make it a class project. This way involves more people so is more likely to reach people who may want to help stop animal abuse. Some animal charity websites provide free lesson plans and materials for teachers.

Carrying placards, handing out information, wearing clothes with messages on, chanting, and answering questions while you are taking part in protests and demonstrations helps raise awareness about animal abuse.

When you are communicating with people online or through speech, the most effective way to get your message across is to use non- accusatory, non-personal language. Otherwise, the person usually feels attacked and reacts defensively, digging their heels in, even if it is just to spite you.

For instance, instead of saying “You can’t really be against all animal cruelty when you eat meat, because you fund cruelty towards certain animals”, it is better to speak generally and say “People can’t really be against animal cruelty when they eat meat, because they fund cruelty towards certain animals.”.

There will still be people who take this personally and react defensively because they know they are guilty of what you say, but do not want to stop.

The point is, you cannot be accused of personally attacking the person. This is important because onlookers are more receptive to what you are saying when they do not feel that you are personally attacking someone. If they think you are, they turn against you and as a result, turn against the cause.

Another thing to remember is to sound calm, no matter how much you want to scream at the person (and you REALLY will!). When discussing it online with somebody who you are trying to get to see your point of view, avoid using exclamation marks and capitals, as this does not come across as calm.